Improvement in tag-fasteners



T. P. MARSTON.

. TAG-FASTENER.

No. 187,027. Patentec Feb. e, 1877.

produced by the prongs this specification, and represent what 1.\TI1ED STATES THOMAS P. MARSTON, OF YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO PH. H A KE, OF

- SAME PLACE.

|MPROVEMENT |N TAG-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,027, dated February 6, 1877; application filed December 30, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. MARSTON,

of New York city, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Tags or Marking- Tickets, of which the following is a specification:

Iprovide a tag or ticket of proper parchment, Bristol board, or the like, with a metallic fastener of such form, and so applied, that it engages itself sufliciently with the tag to keep the parts together prior to their attachment to the goods, and is ready to stiffly and strongly engage the whole with a piece of cloth or analogous material, to which it is desired the tag shall be secured.

I make the fastener of sheet brass, tihned iron, or analogous thin metal, cut by dies or otherwise, and bent so as to form two strong prongs or claws from the material, which is near the middle of the fastener. Each of the prongs is not only bent at right angles to the body of the fastener, but is barbed.

ln applying the fastener to the body of the tag the prongs are thrust so that the points protrude through holes in the body, either themselves, or by an instrument previously applied. The barbs are so placed that, when the body of the fastener is forced into contact with one face of the tag, the barbs shall havepassed quite through the thickness and present themselves on the other side. In the passage of the barbs through the holes in the tag, either the material of the tag or the barbs, or both, yield a little by their elasticity to allow them to pass.

My compound tag, composed of the body and its fastener, with the claws and barbs thus arranged, may be applied very readily to any suitable goods. The prongs or claws may bent down by the thumb and finger, or by any other appliance, when they have been .thrust through the cloth, leather, or other material on which the tag is used.

The accompanying drawings form a part of I consider the best means of carrying outthe invention.

Figure 1 is a face view of the fastener in the act of being cut to form the claws and barbs. Fig. 2 is an edge view ofthe same after the claws and barbs have been cut and fully bent in their proper positions. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same after the fastener has been applied to the body. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same, and of the goods to which it is attached, after the tag has been properly applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a face view of the tag equipped with the fastener.

Similarletters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

. A is a piece of parchment, pasteboard,

Bristol board, thick paper, or other material forming the body of the tag. I prefer to cut 'it in dies in a rectangular form, with ronnded corners. B is the body of the fastener, b b are claws, and b b are barbs.

The fastener B b b being cut andbent, as indicated, is attached to the body A by sim ply thrusting the claws b, with their barbs through the body. The operation will be facilitated by previously pricking holes in the body A.- But care must be taken that the holes be not too large. They must not allow the barbed portions to return, except with great effort.

In practice, the fasteners are never subjected to any iorce tending to separate them from the body. Very slight barbs will suffice to hold them, but I prefer about the proportions indicated.

Many modifications maybe made by any good mechanic. Thus, for example, more than two prongs may be used on each fastener, and more than one fastener may be used on each tag, if desired. I believe that the fastener may be held with sufficient force for many purposes with only one barb. Two barbs may in some cases be formed with advantage on each prong.

My tag may be used with some success by applyin g the fastener to the body at the moment of use, keeping the parts previously separated, but I much prefer to attach the fastener to the body in the manufactory, and to send out the b0dies and fasteners thus properly applied together. They may be packed in small boxes.

I claim as my invention The tag described having a, metallic fastener attached to the body by the barbs b, on the pr0ngs or claws b thrust through the body,

the whole adapted to serve as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, 1876, in the presence of two subscribing wtnesses.

T. P. MARSTON. Witnesses A. HENRY GENTNER, CEAS. O. STETSON. 

